After trading Medric Mercier to Oshawa on Tuesday, the Soo is also skating with just two overage (1996 birth year) players: Bobby MacIntyre and David Miller.

Now they could surely use the leadership of their captain, Blake Speers. But we don’t know when, or if, he’ll return from the NHL’s New Jersey Devils.

Whatever happens, if they hope to reach their potential this season, the Greyhounds need to learn to become a consistently difficult team to play against at Essar Centre. They need to intimidate visiting opponents with their impressive speed, skill and creativity.

Because when playoff time rolls around, home ice will not take care of you.